Redmouth grouper description

The redmouth grouper is a robust, reef fish with a deep, compressed body (1)(3). It is generally dark brown to black in colour, occasionally with an orange cast, while the inside of its mouth is reddish-orange, hence the common name (1)(3)(4). The juvenile differs from the adult primarily in having its dorsal fin and caudal fin edged bluish-white. In resembling small, non-predatory reef fish, juveniles are thought to benefit from this ‘disguise’ when foraging for prey (2)(3).

Related species

Redmouth grouper biology

Owing to the natural scarcity of the redmouth grouper, very little is known about this species’ biology (2). It feeds mainly on small, cave-dwelling fish but will also take mantis shrimps and other crustaceans. Early evidence suggests that the redmouth grouper spawns at any time of the year and, unlike some groupers, does not aggregate to spawn(2)(1).

Redmouth grouper range

The redmouth grouper is found in the vicinity of most land masses of the Indian Ocean, from South Africa to the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf, east to Southeast Asia and the islands of the western Pacific (2)(1).

Redmouth grouper status

Redmouth grouper threats

The threats to the redmouth grouper are poorly understood, but there are concerns that it is being overfished due to its capture as bycatch in artisanal and small-scale commercial fisheries. Furthermore, as an inhabitant of coral reefs, this species is likely to be vulnerable to habitat loss and degradation (2).

Authentication

Glossary

Bycatch

In the fishing industry, the part of the catch made up of non-target species.

Caudal fin

The tail fin of a fish, used for steering, balancing or propulsion.

Crustaceans

Diverse group of arthropods (a phylum of animals with jointed limbs and a hard chitinous exoskeleton) characterised by the possession of two pairs of antennae, one pair of mandibles (parts of the mouthparts used for handling and processing food) and two pairs of maxillae (appendages used in eating, which are located behind the mandibles). Includes crabs, lobsters, shrimps, slaters, woodlice and barnacles.

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